William marshall



W. MARSHALL.

LIFE SAVER FOR AVIATORS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 30.1910

Patented Nov. 25, 1919.

YET

warren snares ea 1 WILLIAM MARSHALL, OF BRIDGETON, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGN'OR 0F ONE-HALF TO JOHN WESTCOTT, 0]? OCEAN CITY, NEW JERSEY,

LIFE-SAVER FOR AVIATORS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 25, 11919.

Application filed July 30, 1919. Serial No. 314,198.

'Bridgeton, in the county of Cumberland,

State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Life- Savers for Aviators; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in life saving devices and part cularly to devices for saving the lives of aviators. One object of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved device which is worn by the aviator and which is so formed as to be readily capable of quick release when the aviator jumps from the machine.

Another object is to provide a novel and improved device of this character which has means for quickly inflating a gas bag to suspend the aviator when he leaves the machine in the air.

A further object is to provide a novel and improved structure of this character wherein is means for permitting the escape of the gas from the bag to cause the device and the aviator to descend.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing: 1

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device attached to the aviator and out'of op- 'erative position.

Fi 2 is a perspective view of the device attac ed to the aviator and in use when the aviator has left the machine.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view through the gas bag and .gas reservoir,

showing the position of the control valves.

Referring particularly to the accompanying drawing, 10 represents a belt which is fastened around the aviators waist. Secured to the belt are straps 11 which pass up over the shoulders of the aviator, the rear portions of said straps being connected by a transverse strap 12 which is disposed across the aviators back. A strap 13 has its ends secured to the upper portions of the shoulder straps 11 and arches upwardly where it has its intermediate portion connected to the lower portion of the gas bag 14 by means of the cords l5. Extending across the breast of the aviator is a strap 16 which has its ends connected to the forward portions of the shoulder straps, this strap, and the back strap 12, are each provided with adjusting v buckles l7,so that the harness can be firmly and comfortably secured on the aviator. The belt is also provided with an adjusting buckle 1 8.

Secured to the front of the belt is a small container 19, for holding a quantity of gas under compression, said container being connected to the lower portion of the gas bag 14 by means of the hose 20, a valve 21 being carried by the upper portion of the container for permitting the escape of the gas from the container to the gas bag. In the top of the gas bag there is disposed an outlet valve 22 which has a cord 23 connected therewith, said cord extending downwardly to a position at one side of the belt, whereit is engaged with a-clip 24 for holding the same within convenient reach of the aviator, should he wish to open the said valve to permit escape of gas from the bag, so that the aviator will descend at the required speed toward the earth.

As shown in Fig. 1, the gas bag is rolled up and secured to the belt of the aviator,

' when not in use, but the instant that the aviator intends to use the device he pulls the cord 25, which breaks and permits the gas bag to become free. He then opens the valve of the, gas container, when the gas therein will immediately flow into the gas bag and inflate the same, and the aviator will be free to jump from the machine. As he leaves the machine and desires to descend to the earth, he pulls on the cord 23 to open the valve 22, thus permitting gas to escape from the gas bag.

. What is claimed is: r

A life saving device for an aviator comprising a body harness including a belt and shoulder straps, a strap connected to the shoulder straps, a gas bag connected to the the lower end of the said flexible means last-named strap, a compressed gas conwithin convenient reach of the aviator. 10 tainer carried by the belt, a gas conduit con- In testimony whereof I aflix my signature nected to the container and the gas bag, a in the presence of two Witnesses.

valve in the conduit, an outlet valve in the WILLIAM MARSHALL. upper portion of the gas bag, a flexible op- Witnesses crating means connected to the last-named CHARLES SAYREs,

valve, and a clip on the belt for retaining CARL CRANER. 

